Oil refiner pack



Feb. 24, 1942. A. R. WHITE on. REFINER PACK Filed Oct. 14, 19:55

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm WM WW m n i .E

Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE 01L REFINER. PACK Albert R. White, Glendale, Calif.

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 234,968

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in an oil refiner pack, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an oil refiner pack which is designed to be placed in the oil refiner casing shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 234,969, filed October 4, 1938 now Patent No. 2,249,071. The oil refiner pack comprises a body of filtering material enclosing an oil outlet pipe. The material is pref erably formed from cellulose or cotton fabric that has been separated into small pieces and then these pieces are bunched together vto form a body of uniform density throughout.

The pipe is preferably perforated and the perforated portionis enclosed in a screen that 'will prevent the filtering material from passing into the openings. The inner end of the pipe is closed and carries a member such as a nail that is embedded in the filtering material and acts as a key for securing the pipe to the pack so that a rotation of the pack will also rotate the pipe.

The filtering material is held in the proper shape by means of string or other suitable enclosing means that is wrapped around the outside of the pack. The fiufiy condition of the filtering material makes the pack resilient in that it can be compressed when subjected to high oil pressure and then it will expand when the oil pressure is reduced. This flexing of the outer surface of the pack will cause any foreign matter adhering to the outer surface, to be freed from the surface, and to drop to the bottom of the casing. The casingbottom acts as a trap for retaining the foreign matter. In this simple way the pack is self-cleaning and the foreign matter is removed from the oil stream.

In a modified form of pack, I provide a layer of water-absorbing material, such as cork or a loofah sponge for surrounding the screen and a second layer of cork or sponge for surrounding the exterior surface of the pack. This modified form ofpack is primarily used in oil refiner casings connected with marine engines where it is desired to remove water ill and is durable and eificient for the purpose in-' with the cover removed and the pack is shown in from the oil. The cork or sponge will ahsorb the water, but will not absorb the oil. It is possible to pass the nail throu h an opening provided in the closed end of the pipe or it may be passed through certain of the align d perforations in the pipe. In the latter case, the nail will be forced through the screen and will aid in holding the screen in position on the pipe.

The device is extremely simple in construction section; I

Figure 3 is a'vertical section through a modified form of an oil refiner pack;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a view of another modified form of the invention.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, an oil refiner pack is indicated generally at I. This pack consists of a pipe 2 that is threaded at 3 and is designed to be screwed into a threaded bore 4 of a casing 5. The pipe 2 is perforated at 6 and has its inner end closed as at I. The closed end of the pipe has an opening 8 therein for receiving a member 9 such as a nail. A screen I!) encircles a portion of the pipe 2 and covers the openings 6.

The oil filtering portion of the pack is composed of cellulose material indicated generally at H and the particles of the material are separated from each other in order to prevent any compact portions from forming. The particles when separated in this manner and then brought together, will provide a filtering body that is resilient in construction. The material is placed around the pipe 2 so that it will enclose all of the pipe with the exception of the threaded portion 3. Any suitable means may be used for holding the material together to form the shape shown. In Figures 1 and 2, I show a string l2 that is wrapped around the material H and holds it in proper position. The screen In prevents particles of the material from passin throu h the Openings 6 and the nail 9 acts as a key for connecting the body H with the pipe 2 so that a rotation of the b dy will rotate the pipe and causeit to enter the threaded bore 4 or he removed therefrom.

The casing 5 and cover 13 are of special design and are described and claimed in my oopending application Serial No. 234,969, filed October 14, 1938 now Patent No. 2,249,071. The casing 5 has a shoulder I4 provided with two concentric ridges IS. The cover I3 has a shoulder l6 that has two concentric grooves ll. A rubber gasket I8 is placed between the two shoulders. The cover I3 also has a flang I9 This form of the device is designed for the large that is internally threaded at and the threads mesh with a threaded portion 2| on the casing 5. The cover when screwed into place, will cause the ridges l5 to force the gasket l8 into the grooves l1 and thus make an oil-tight seal.

The cover I 3 is further provided with a projection 22 that is non-circular in shape and this projection is adapted to receive a wrench or other tool when the cover is secured to thecasing or removed therefrom. In like manner, the casing 5 has a projection 23 that is also non-circular in shape. A wrench may be applied to the casing for holding it against rotation when the cover is applied or removed. Both projections 22 and 23 have inwardly extending portions 22a and 23a and each of these portions carry pins 24 and 25 respectively, that are designed to engage with the oil refiner pack which will prevent its accidental rotation within the casing. The bottom of the casing carries a drain plug 26.

The casing is removably secured to a support, not shown, by clamps 21 and 28. Each clamp is composed of two strips that are held together by bolts 29 and 30. An engine is shown diagrammatically at 3| in Figure 1, and an oil inlet pipe 32 leads from the crank case 33 of the engine to an oil inlet bore 34 in the projection 22. A return oil pipe 35 leads from the oil outlet bore 4 back to the crank case 33 and completes the oil circuit.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

As the engine 3| changes its speed, the oil pump, not shown, will force oil at varying pressures through the pipe 32 and into the casing 5. When this oil pressure is high, the refiner pack I will be compressed and reduced in size, due to the yielding quality of the material forming the pack. Any foreign particles carried by the oil will be filtered out by the pack and a good portion of these foreign particles will adhere to the outer surface of the pack. When now the engine 3| reduces its speed, the oil pressure will likewise be reduced and the resiliency of the pack will cause it to expand and to return to its normal size. These continued variations in the oil pressure produces a flexing of the outer surface of the pack, and this flexing will remove sludge that has adhered to the outer surface of the pack and permit it to drop by gravity to the bottom of the casing. This sludge cannot enter the return pipe 35 because the pipe 2 closes the bore 4. In this simple way, the pack will clean itself and will have a much longer life than would otherwise be possible.

It is a well known fact that lubricating oil does not wear out from use, but only loses its value through becoming contaminated with foreign matter. Rerefined oil is better than new oil because the more unstabled portions of the lubrieating oil will be removed. Oil is subjected to oxidation in an engine and th more unstabled portions of the lubricating oil will be oxidized.

After the oxidized portion of the oil is removed, the remaining oil should be more stable and durable than the original oil.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the invention, I show a slightly modified form of the oil refining. pack.

011 refiner casing shown in my co-pending application. Figures 3 and 4 show the pack on a smaller scale than the pack shown in Figures 1 and 2. The pack 36 has a pipe, screen, and nail, similar to that shown in Figure 1 and therefore corresponding reference numerals will be given except that they will be primed. Around the screen III, I dispose a layer of water-absorbent material such as cork 31 or loofah sponge. This cork or sponge will absorb water, but will not absorb oil and in this way water is removed from the oil by the cork or sponge before the oil reaches the pipe 2'.

A body of cellulose or cotton fiber 38 encloses the layer of cork or sponge and also the entire pipe assembly with the exception of the threaded pipe end 3. If desired, the outer surface of the pack 36 may have a second layer of cork 39 or sponge disposed therearound. This additional layer of cork or sponge is usually provided where the pack refines oil used in marine engines. The material composing the pack is held together by string 40 or any other suitable enclosing means is wound around the pack 36 and the outer layer of cork 39 or sponge for holding the material 38 and layer 39 in place. The nail 9' again acts as a key between the body 38 and the pipe 2' so that a rotation of the body will screw the pipe into the bore in the casing (not shown) or remove the pipe therefrom.

The operation of this form of the device is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the addition that the cork or loofah sponge will remove water from the oil. It is obvious that the pack shown in Figure 1 can also be provided with a layer of cork or-sponge around the screen Ill, if desired. The sponges 31 and 39 act as dehydrators and hold the water until an oil temper-.

ature of F., or above, is reached within the casing that houses the pack. At this temperature, vaporization of the water commences and the moisture in the sponges is released. These moisture vapors follow the same outlet from the refiner casing as that taken by the oil and each are conveyed to the warmer crank case where the water vapor will escape from the motor through the breather pipe or ventilating system.

The form of the pack shown in Figures 3, and 4 will also remove the heavy solids from the oil and these solids in turn are removed from the pack by precipitation caused by the breathing" or pulsating action of the side wall of the pack. These solids are retained in the bottom of the casing at what may be termed the trap section of the casing. Some of the finer solids will find their way into the pack and will precipitate into the lower portion thereof.

In Figure 5, I show a slightly modified form of the pipe assembly. In this form the pipe 2a is similar to the pipe 2 and a screen IOa, similar to the screen l0, encircles the perforated portion of the pipe. The nail 9a instead of being passed through the opening 811 in the closed end of the pipe, is forced through the coiled screen Illa and also through two of the aligned perforations 6a in the pipe. The nail in this instance performs the double function of acting as a key between the pack and the pipe, and also acting as a fastening means for aiding in securing the screen IOa to the pipe. In all other respects this form of the device is identical to that shown in Figure 1 and therefore needs no further description.

The pack is formed of a filtering material that is of uniform density throughout. To achieve this, fibrous material is used and separated into its particles after which it is brought together to form the filtering body. Care is taken when forming the material into the desired shape. that no places exist where the material is compacted. The particles of the material will arrange themselves in a criss-cross manner so that maximum filtering efllciency will result and also the pack will be compressible when subjected to varying oil pressures. The string holding the material in shape will give during the changes in size of the pack due to oil pressure changes. The wall of the pack flexes during the changes in the size of the filtering'body and it is this feature tending beyond the screen to form a key adapted for anchorage in a surrounding filtering pack.

2. In an oil filter, a perforated pipe having a closed end and a threaded end, a screen enclosing the perforated portion of the pipe, and an elongated key passed through the closed end of the pipe and extending radially beyond the screen from the pipe.

3. In an oil filter, a perforated pipe, a screen enclosing the perforations, a sponge enclosing the screen, and an elongated key secured to the pipe and extending radially therefrom, the key being adapted for anchorage in a surrounding filtering pack.

4. An oil refiner pack comprising a perforated oil outlet pipe, a screen enclosing the perforated portion of the pipe, a body of fibrous oil refining material enclosing the screen and the pipe with the exception of one end, said body being of uniform density throughout, a key connecting the body with the pipe so that a rotation of the body will rotate the key, and yielding means for holding all sides of the body in the proper shape.

5. In an oil refining pack, a body of fibrous oil refining material. a perforated oil outlet pipe embedded in the body and having one end extending beyond the body, and a key connecting the pipe with the material so that a rotation of the body will rotate the pipe.

6. In an oil refining pack, a perforated oil outlet pipe. a screen enclosing the perforations, a fastening member extending through the screen and certain of the perforations, and a fibrous oil refining medium enclosing the screen and pipe with the exception of the outlet end of the pipe, said fastening member acting as a key between the medium and pipe so that a rotation of the medium will rotate the pipe.

ALBERT R. WHITE. 

